If you’re using Windows Vista, then you’ve probably noticed the new memory requirements. In Windows XP you could get away with 1GB of memory, with 2GB making it run much smoother. To get the same smooth experience from Vista, you really need to double the memory, due in part to some of the new services that Vista is running.

One of these new services is SuperFetch, which analyzes your program usage and pre-caches these programs to make them load faster. For most users (especially gamers) this is relatively useless, and just serves to waste more of the precious memory you’ve loaded up your PC with. This memory is even more critical in the 32-bit flavor of Vista, where most users cannot use more than 3.5GB of RAM, even if you have 4GB or more.

Review URL ::
http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1048

-Ok, so now we can text our order to Pizza Hut while driving there… Does that makes sense? It’s an accident waiting to happen … wow, I can see quite a few more teenage car accidents on the horizon

First Restaurant Chain to Offer Both Text and Mobile Ordering Options Nationwide

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pizza Hut®, America’s Favorite Pizza, is introducing two new ordering options that are the most flexible and easy to use in the pizza industry. Beginning this week, Pizza Hut will offer “Total Mobile Access,” which allows customers to order pizza from their mobile phones via text messaging or mobile Web. Pizza Hut is the first and only restaurant chain to offer both ordering options on a nationwide basis.

“Text messaging and mobile Web are an integral part of millions of Americans’ lives, and we’re excited that these fast and flexible ordering options can now be used to order Pizza Hut pizza,” said Brian Niccol, Pizza Hut CMO. “Online ordering has become one of the fastest growing segments of our business in recent years, so adding Total Mobile Access is the latest way we can make the process of ordering America’s Favorite Pizza more convenient for our customers.”

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 -Is the Macbook Air even out yet?

Protect your MacBook Air with stylish neoprene and leather Sleeves from Belkin

COMPTON, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Belkin International, Inc. announces new Sleeves designed to fit and complement your MacBook Air. Ranging from neoprene to leather, the Sleeves protect your MacBook Air without adding any bulk.

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Call of Duty 4, The Orange Box, Rock Band, Super Mario Galaxy, ‘Shock Fight It Out for ‘Overall Game of the Year’ Honors

2008 D.I.C.E. Summit

CALABASAS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences® (AIAS) today announced the nominees for the 11^th annual Interactive Achievement Awards®. The nominations for the peer-based awards have been dominated by two blockbuster first-person shooter games, BioShock (2K Games) and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision) by receiving an astounding 10+ nominations from industry leaders and members of the interactive entertainment software business. In addition, finalists in close lead with top nominations include: The Orange Box (Electronic Arts and Valve Software), Rock Band (MTV Games) and Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo of America), all up for the Overall Game of the Year Award.

The awards ceremony will take place during The D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit® 2008 on February 7 at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, with comedian, actor and proud game enthusiast, Jay Mohr returning for his third year to host the award ceremony.

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-Did we really need a Grey’s Anatomy game?!?

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Gameloft, a leading developer and publisher of mobile games, is bringing Grey’s Anatomy: The Mobile Game to casual gamers and fans alike. Based on the first three seasons of the award-winning television drama from ABC Studios, the game gives players and fans the chance to experience intense emotions and drama unique to their favorite show in unlimited different skill-based surgery mini-games taken from actual episodes of the show.

“Grey’s Anatomy: The Mobile Game is a perfect balance of gameplay and content, as the challenging mini-games will resonate with the male audience, while women will be engaged with the game’s unfolding drama and character interaction,” said Gonzague de Vallois, senior vice president of publishing, Gameloft. “Ultimately, we plan to create a mobile experience that melds the tension of a dramatic television show with the excitement of a social adventure.”

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-Well this could prove to be fairly useful eh?

Images Show e-crime Evolution Revealing Mexico, India and Africa as Next Hotbeds of Internet Crime

SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Most of today’s Internet criminals are operating from Russia, China and Southern America. Over the next five years, there will be a significant increase in attacks from Central America, India, China and Africa, according to a prediction from security specialists.

The researchers at F-Secure’s Security Labs have mapped the shifts in Internet crime trends since 1986. The three maps attached depict how computer crime has evolved and show a shift from Europe and North America to emerging markets.

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I4U NEWS reviews the new Harmony One Universal Remote that just has been introduced at the CES 2008.

Quote from the review:
“The Harmony One can control up to 15 home theater and home automation devices.
All you need to know about your components to program them into the remote is the brand and model number. You choose the brand from a drop down list with a huge amount of choices, there were companies listed I had never heard of before. After choosing the brand you put in the model number and you are ready to program.”

Full Review:
http://www.i4u.com/full-review-364.html

Wii Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 Review:

Link: http://www.rbmods.com/Console/Articles/Wii/Rayman_raving_rabbids2/1.php

Quote: If you’ve read some of our past video game reviews, you’ll remember that we enjoyed one odd game in particular, Rayman Raving Rabbids, for its unique game play and quirky story.  As with most popular games, the gang is back for a sequel.  Will Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 for the Wii continue the streak of solid games for this series?  That’s what we’re here to find out in this video game review.

Title: Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard Review
Link: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/517
Category: Reviews

Summary:
We tested the newest version of the G15 keyboard from Logitech, which features a LCD display, backlit keys, special keys and much more.

Here is a snippet:
“Already a force to be reckoned within the gaming mice niche (as the previously reviewed G9mice can attest), Logitech is trying its hand on the gaming keyboard market – for the second time. Their G15 gaming keyboard is being re-released with a new design, fewer programmable keys and more support for popular games like World of Warcraft. It’s a hybrid product – to use the word that’s making waves in the automobile industry – since it can be used either for gaming or for serious work, without the need of changing keyboards each time you want to play or have to do some spreadsheets. The programmable keys can be assigned to gaming functions (spellcasting, changing weapons, and invoking powers) or to open media players and check the email. And the LCD display is back from the previous version, allowing the user to see relevant gaming information (health bar, ammunition capacity) and which MP3 is being played. “

Title:
Diamond Multimedia HD 3850 Ruby Edition 512MB

Link:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Diamond/HD_3850_Ruby_Edition

Brief:
Diamond has designed their HD 3850 Ruby Edition with additional cooling performance in mind. Their cooler is a custom dual-slot solution which does quite a good job at keeping the card cool. In addition to that the memory has been doubled to 512 MB of GDDR3.

Title: Foxconn Blackops Motherboard Prototype
Link: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/518
Category: First Look

Summary:
We took a look on the prototype of Foxconn Blackops motherboard, a socket 775 motherboard based on the forthcoming Intel X48 chipset coming with a water-cooling solution and targeted to extreme overclockers.

Here is a snippet:
“During CES 2008 Foxconn displayed the prototypes of two motherboards targeted to overclockers: F1, which we have already posted here, and Blackops. Blackops is based on the forthcoming Intel X48 chipset, have three PCI Express x16 slots, a myriad of overclocking options and a cooler that refrigerates the chipset and the transistors from the voltage regulator circuit that can operate as a simple passive cooler, as a water cooler or adapted to accept dry ice or liquid nitrogen. Sounds impressive? Read on.”

OCZ Technology Announces New PC2-8000 4GB Platinum Edition Memory to offer Mainstream Enthusiasts an Affordable Overclocking Kit

Sunnyvale, CA—January 17, 2008—OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a worldwide leader in innovative ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced the PC2-8000 Platinum Edition 4GB dual channel kit, designed to boost the performance of mainstream gaming systems. These new 2GB modules are the ultimate upgrade for entry-level enthusiasts seeking an exceptional overclocking kit at a price point that suits all budgets.

“System memory density is a significant cost factor in the overall configuration of any personal computer,” commented Dr. Michael Schuette, VP of Technology Development at OCZ Technology. “However, retrofitting a system with an abundance of memory does not necessarily translate into having to spend an abundance of cash. By releasing quality products like the PC2-8000 2GB modules at a low price point, OCZ Technology once again demonstrates the commitment to providing the customers with the best possible solution in the market place.”

PR LINK

PRODUCT PAGE

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We have just posted a review of the snappy little Xtreme N Networking gear from D-Link.  This consists of the DIR-655 Gigabit router as well as the DWA-552 and DWA-652 network adapters.  This network claims speeds of 1GB on the wired end of things and up to 300Mbps on the wireless side of things.  Catch our reivew for all the details on how these products performed together and when mixed with other network devices.

Title: D-Link Xtreme N Networking
URL: http://www.bcchardware.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=5118&Itemid=82

Quote:
While the DIR-655 fails to come close to the rated 300Mbps speed that it claims, the truth is it does have better range and performance that my existing 802.11g network that I’ve been happy with for the past couple of years.  When we swapped out the 802.11g hardware with all 802.11n hardware, we saw performance gains of 4x at close range.  As the distance increased, performance of all the networks decreased.  However at 40′ the Xtreme N network is still almost twice as fast as a Wireless G network at 20′. . .

TechwareLabs has published a review of the LANCOOL K7: Hybrid Aluminum Case. Here’s a clip from the review:

Quote: “LANCOOL (Lian Li) has sent us an aluminum/steel hybrid case to test out. With a black annodized aluminum exterior and sporting multiple interior design features that we find lacking in many cases the K7 may be an excellent case from several viewpoints. We explore the K7 in our review and take you from unpacking to installation and give you our conclusion on this “metal boned” new enclosure for your system.”

LINK:
http://www.techwarelabs.com/reviews/cases/lancool-k7

Digit-Life Review: DDR2-800 vs. DDR3-1333. Does DDR3-1333 Make Sense?

Excerpt:
“We’re going to compare performance of two processors in combination with different memory modules: standard DDR2-800 and higher-clocked DDR3-1333. The Core 2 Extreme QX9650 processor (1333 MHz FSB) will be tested with one and the same motherboard that supports both memory types (Foxconn X38A). And the Core 2 Extreme QX9770 processor (1600 MHz FSB) will be tried with two motherboards, different in supported memory types.”

Article: http://www.digit-life.com/articles3/cpu/ddr2-800-vs-ddr3-1333.html

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Digit-Life Review: Mid-End Heatpipe Cooler Shootout

Excerpt:
“Today we’ll focus on 21 Mid-End coolers and their tests. It won’t be a traditional shootout-we don’t want to wear our readers out and distract them from their preholiday cares. So we’ll try to keep away from purely technical details, paying more attention to practice. We hope that our shootout will help you choose the right cooler in the new year.”

Article: http://www.digit-life.com/articles3/cpu/heatpipe-coolers-shootout-dec2k7-part1.html

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 -It seems these companies are finally realizing that people are tired of black or silver notebooks, it’s nice to see them finally realizing this…

New Rich and Gorgeous Metallic-Finished Colors Now Available on Updated Lines of Gateway M-Series and T-Series Notebooks

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Gateway today gives two of its most popular consumer notebook lines – the Gateway M-Series (15.4-inch display) and T-Series (14.1-inch display) – a fresh look with new vibrant colors and designs.

The Gateway M-Series, which was previously available in Garnet Red and Pacific Blue, is now available in rich Merlot and luminous Silver. Both the M-Series and T-Series will be available in a new design called Arctic Bloom – delicate wildflowers on a background of icy turquoise blue.

“Our customers responded so well to the jewel-toned colors we introduced last fall that we’re expanding the line to offer customers even more choices in a PC that reflects their individuality and tastes,” said Todd Titera, Gateway senior manager, notebook PCs. “These new colors – Merlot, Silver and especially Arctic Bloom – have their own unique personality to please the fashion conscious and style-minded.”

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SECAUCUS, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Panasonic Computer Solutions Company, manufacturer of durable, reliable Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computers, today announced it has received the LAPTOP Magazine Editors’ Choice Award in the magazine’s semi-rugged notebook round-up in the January, 2008 issue.

The Editor’s Choice review describes the Panasonic Toughbook 52 as “an excellent choice for those requiring a durable road-ready notebook” highlighting its “stunning widescreen display, better-than-average graphics, and generous array of ports.” The LAPTOP review named the durable and reliable mobile computer “the best choice for both field service personnel and accident-prone road warriors”. The Toughbook 52 notebook successfully endured the LAPTOP Magazine editors’ three-foot drops and spill tests without damage.

The Panasonic Toughbook 52 notebook is an affordable double-duty desktop replacement PC, matching significant computing power with durable features, including a shock-mounted hard drive, magnesium alloy case, and spill-resistant keyboard and touchpad to defend data against the risks of mobility. The Toughbook 52 includes a wireless-ready design for mobile broadband connectivity as well as 802.11 WiFi and Bluetooth options. Like all Toughbook notebooks, the Toughbook 52 includes a standard 3 year warranty and US-based customer support for the life of the product.

“Panasonic has been creating, delivering and supporting the most reliable mobile computing solutions for 15 years and the Toughbook 52 is a terrific example of how we provide tools ideal for mobile workers in a variety of environments, from extreme to mainstream,” said Kyp Walls, director, product management, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company.

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Title:
Noctua NT-H1 Thermal Compound

Link:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Noctua/NT-H1

Brief:
Noctua recently released their new NT-H1 thermal compound. This new thermal interface material is designed to give maximum performance while being simple to use. Best of all, it is ready to use immediately and does not require a “burn-in” time like the other manufacturer’s products. With a long storage life, long-term stability on the CPU, being non-conductive and being suitable for compressor cooling, this thermal compound seems to have it all.

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